On Kartarpur Corridor Security: ‘Pak Can Use Passage For Nefarious Activities In Punjab'

In a wide-ranging interview, Capt Amarinder Singh talks about pollution, Pakistan & his deep faith in Guru Nanak Dev

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ON THE eve of the grand celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh expressed his apprehensions about Pakistan’s designs on the Kartarpur corridor.

“Why didn’t they think of linking up the Kartarpur corridor earlier? Why didn’t they think of building the Baba Guru Nanak University earlier? Now I feel that this is an ISI operation,” he said.

Speaking to India Today Group Editorial Director (Publishing) Raj Chengappa, the Chief Minister elaborated: “Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu had been called for the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Imran Khan as Pakistan’s prime minister and even before the swearing in, [Pakistani army chief] General Bajwa had informed Mr Sidhu that he would be happy to know that they are opening the corridor. So the army had already prepared the ground for this and when they do something like this, it puts my antennas up.”

On Intelligence reports of a militant camp being built with the support of Pakistan’s ISI, Singh said,

“Well, I don’t know about the camps there. The Intelligence agencies would know more about them. But certainly, in the last one or two years that I’ve been here, we have had many people infiltrating. My government got nearly 26 modules busted when they tried to enter Punjab. We have locked up over 120 people. Nearly 400 weapons and various explosives have come in. These people not coming here to celebrate Diwali; they are coming here for some ulterior motive.”